What Zombies Can Teach You About 20 Foods from Paris to try before you die!

1. Coquilles Saint-Jacques

What to drink: A sauvignon or a Chablis.

For dessert: These scallops are often served for Christmas. So what better dessert than a bûche, the traditional French Christmas dessert to go with it? And who said you can’t serve this dessert any time of the year? Here is the recipe.

2. Baked Camembert

What to drink: A red Bordeaux.

For dessert: A tarte tatin, a French apple pie, to end the meal on a sweet and light note. Here is the recipe.

3. Moules Marinières

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The association between mussels and french fries is a Belgian specialty, but it’s very widespread in France and we brought our own twist to the recipe. There are many ways to cook mussels, my favorite is the moules marinières, a recipe from the west of France where you cook the mussels in a white wine broth with shallots and parsley.

5. Blanquette de Veau

What to drink: A red Bordeaux.

For dessert: A Paris-Brest, a cream puff filled with whipped cream. Find a recipe hereand here.

6. Soupe à L’oignon

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The queen of all soups. This is how New York Times food critic Amanda Hesser described it: “It is one of the strangest and most delicious soup recipes I’ve encountered. … By the time it is done, the ‘soup’ is like a savory bread pudding and the top has a thick, golden crust that your guests will fight to the death over.”

For dessert: Chocolate éclairs. The real ones are filled with chocolate cream and not vanilla custard like most recipes in English would have you believe. Here is a good recipe.

7. Sole Meunière

You don’t need fancy preparations to get an awesome result, especially when it comes to fish. Sole meunière is thus a very straightforward and easily prepared recipe. The final dish is flavorful, crispy, buttery, and lemony, all at once.

What to drink: A white wine, like a Sancerre.

For dessert: Kouign-amann, a deliciously caramelized specialty from Brittany. Find the recipe here.

8. Hachis Parmentier

A layer of mashed potatoes and a layer of juicy ground beef (or, as I like to call them, two layers of heaven). Hachis Parmentier is often described as a French version of shepherd’s pie. It is French comfort food at its best and it is fairly easy to prepare.

What to drink: A red wine, something like an Alsacian pinot noir.

For dessert: A crème brûlée. It’s delicious, fun to prepare, and a perfect way to warm up a cold winter night. Here is the recipe.

9. Boudin Noir Aux Pommes

Boudin noir is a blood sausage. If you’re not repelled by the concept, you’re in for a treat. There are several varieties of boudin (in the French Caribbean they produce a delicious spicy blood sausage that’s worth the trip alone). The traditional French boudin noir is excellent on its own or served with baked apples.

What to drink: A red Bordeaux.

10. Cheese Soufflé

Like Audrey Hepburn’s culinary school instructor in Sabrina puts it: “The soufflé it must be gay, gay, gay. Like two butterflies dancing the waltz in the summer breeze.” Doesn’t it make you want to channel your inner French chef?

What to drink: A red wine, like a cabernet franc.

For dessert: A far breton, a prune cake from Brittany. Find the recipe here.

13. Piperade

Piperade is a specialty from the French Basque country. It is a little bit like ratatouille, except not really since you use mostly onions and peppers for the Basque specialty. Bake a few eggs in the dish and you’re in for a treat.

For dessert: A yogurt cake, the simplest cake recipe ever. Find it here.

15. Garbure

What to drink: A tannat.

For dessert: A pastis landais, a sweet brioche from the same area as the garbure.Here is a recipe.

16. Cassoulet

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A legendary French chef once said this duck and beans stew was the god of southwestern French food. He was wrong. Cassoulet is the god of ALL FOODS. Nothing — and I mean NOTHING — can match the comfort brought to you by a good cassoulet. It is the most heartwarming and delicious dish there is. Making a good cassoulet takes some time and effort, but it’s all worth it.

What to drink: A red wine, preferably from the southwest of France.

For dessert: A French apple tart. You can’t really go wrong with this classic. Here is the recipe.

17. Pan-seared Foie Gras

You may think the way we make foie gras is cruel. And maybe you’re right. But there is no better way to soothe the guilt than to taste pan-seared foie gras. Foie gras paté is delicious, but pan-seared foie gras is unique and amazing. The hardest part of this recipe is finding a fresh whole foie gras at a local store. Once you have it, the recipe is actually fairly easy and the result mind-blowing.

What to drink: Both red and white wines work well this dish. A red Bordeaux will be nice, but you may also want to try a sweet white wine.

For dessert: A French lemon tart to end on a fresh and sweet note. Find the recipe,here.

18. Confit de Canard

I don’t know who had the idea to cook a duck in its own fat, but that genius should be canonized. Even the strongest atheist will believe in God after tasting this specialty, especially if it’s served with duck fat-fried potatoes.

What to drink: A red Bordeaux.

20. Lamprey à la Bordelaise

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This dish is not for everyone and the preparation itself is quite gruesome. You have to bleed a lamprey — aka the ugliest animal EVER —and collect the blood that you then use in the sauce along with red wine. It was already served in some parts of France in the Middle Ages and became widespread in most European courts in the 17th century.